Xcel issues energy alert

Published 9:49 am, Tuesday, August 23, 2011

High electricity demand and maintenance issues at area generating plants has led Xcel Energy to declare an "energy alert" in its Texas and New Mexico service territory, the firm said this morning.

Xcel is asking customers to cut back on their use of electricity until 8 p.m. today.

According to a press release, Xcel declares an energy alert only when a reduction in electricity use is urgently needed to maintain the electricity system and service to customers.

"We are making a public appeal to our customers to turn off lights and appliances unless it would harm their health," said Riley Hill, president and CEO of Southwestern Public Service Company, an Xcel Energy company. "For example, elderly people or people who have health concerns should not turn off their air conditioners."

Xcel suggestions to reduce electric load include:

•Either turn off air conditioning or increase settings to 85 degrees, slowly lowering those after 8 p.m. This does not apply to those depending on air conditioning for health reasons.

•Put off tasks at work, if possible, that would demand electricity (power tools, maintenance equipment, etc.).

•Turn off TVs and electronic equipment unless they are necessary to conduct business or to ensure your health and safety.

•Turn off unnecessary lighting, leaving on only enough to move about safely indoors.

Xcel forecasts indicate that, unless customers cut use, electricity demand could exceed the amount the company will be able to supply from its own power plants and by purchases from other utilities. Failure to reduce electricity demand could result in controlled outages.

Repairs at affected power plants could be completed in time to bring on additional power at peak hours, at which time restrictions could be lifted.

Xcel officials declared the energy alert only after all other efforts to reduce electricity demand or to increase supply were implemented. Those include:

•Bringing on line as many generating units as possible and buying as much electricity as possible from other utilities.

•Reducing electricity use as much as possible at Xcel Energy power plants and office buildings.

•Interrupting power to industrial and agricultural users who signed up for lower interruptible rates.

•Asking other commercial and industrial users to curtail their energy use.

"We take our responsibility to supply energy to our customers very seriously, and we declared this energy alert only after exhausting all other options," Hill said.

"Our customers have helped us through similar situations in the past, and we look to them today to help us maintain the integrity of their electricity system. Turning off all lights and appliances that are not essential to health and safety will help us meet everyone's energy needs without service interruptions."